The Last Detective (31 page)

'A friendship that lasted through the summer?'

'We met a few times, but it was for the boy's sake. I took him swimming a number of times.'

'And to other places?'

'A
cricket match, on one occasion, and a balloon festival.'

'And at the end of these outings, you returned young Matthew to his mother?'

'Naturally.'

'She must have felt some obligation to you?'

'No.'

'No?'

'I mean that wasn't the intention at all. I had no ulterior motive.'

'But your wife thought otherwise.'

At this, defence counsel rose to object that Sir Job appeared to be cross-examining his Own witness. For some minutes both counsel and the judge were embroiled in an argument over the legal niceties.

Diamond listened unhappily. He'd come here to follow the trial at first hand instead of reading the garbled newspaper accounts, and it wasn't at all as he had hoped. Powerless to influence what was going on down there, he sensed that Dana's attitude of resignation was pre-empting the verdict. The prosecution were riding high.

The examination-in-chief was resumed. 'Professor, we were discussing your late wife's reactions to your occasional meetings with the defendant. Would you tell us what she had to say on the subject?'

'She twisted everything.'

Sir Job glanced towards the judge, who said wearily, 'Tell the court what your wife said, Professor.'

'She hinted that I was having an affair with Mrs Didrikson.'

'Only hinted?'

'Well, towards the end she was more specific.'

Diamond ached inwardly. This was disastrous for the defence. Far better if Jackman had come out with the worst Geraldine had said. By his reluctance to tell, he appeared to be confirming that he and Dana had been lovers.

'What did she say precisely?'

'You want the exact words?'Jackman hesitated. 'She said we were shagging like rabbits. It was a complete and utter lie.'

Sir Job said, 'Did you say lie, or lay?' The quip was well-timed. General laughter covered the embarrassment and the cheap point was scored. The defence would gain nothing by protesting.

Jackman's misery continued for another hour. Sir Job went on to secure the important admission that Geraldine had visited Dana and accused her of using Matthew as bait. He took Jackman through the events of the weekend before the murder and made much of Dana's gift of the Jane Austen letters.

'She wanted you to have them as a gift - these letters of potentially great value?'

'Yes.'

'A farewell gift?'

'That was my understanding. After what had taken place between my wife and Mrs Didrikson, it would be impossible for me to go on seeing the boy.'

'And you accepted the letters?'

'Yes - but if they proved to be genuine, I always intended to return them to her after the Jane Austen exhibition was over.'

'So this farewell was more of an
au revoir
than a final parting. When were you next in contact with Mrs Didrikson?'

'On the Monday morning. I phoned.'

'The day your wife was to be murdered? What did you have to say to Mrs Didrikson that Monday morning?'

Scarcely a statement of Jackman's had passed without being given a damaging twist by Sir Job. It was cross-examination masquerading as evidence-in-chief, and so skilfully had it been done that the defence would only have damaged its own case by repeatedly objecting. By the time Sir Job had done, the jury must have been convinced that Dana was a woman in the grip of an infatuation, and that Jackman had encouraged her.

The cross-examination proper was cut to the minimum. Lilian Bargainer looked over her half-glasses at Jackman and asked, 'Professor, can you account for your wife's erratic behaviour in the months prior to her death?'

'I believe I can. She was using drugs.'

'There is evidence of this?'

'Yes. On 25 April, the police found packets of cocaine hidden in the house. I understand that a person addicted to cocaine may exhibit symptoms of paranoia.'

The judge interrupted.
'Drugs?
I heard no mention of drugs before this. Sir Job, is the prosecution aware of this? You made no reference to it in your outline of the case.'

Prosecuting counsel coughed and wrapped his gown protectively around him. 'We are aware of it, m'lord. A man has been charged with supplying the deceased with cocaine. The matter has no connection with the case for the Crown.'

'That may be so. I am surprised we have not heard of it already.'

'I intend to call a police witness at a later stage, m'lord. Undoubtedly the matter will be touched upon. I do not wish to over-state its importance.'

The judge turned to Mrs Bargainer. 'I take it that you attach some significance to it. Did you wish to pursue this matter with this witness?'

She said, 'I think the point is made, my lord. I shall, of course, wish to cross-examine the police witness in due course.'

The rest was routine questioning, attempting to mend some of the fences broken by the prosecution. Jackman did what he could.

When the court adjourned for the day, Diamond didn't stop to speak to anyone. There seemed no point any more. Anyway, his head ached. He went home to take some painkillers.

HE WAS IN THE SAME seat in the public gallery next morning. By the time Dana was brought in, every place was taken. She looked small, too small to be the focus of this elaborate ritual.

The court rose for the judge.

Prosecuting counsel remained standing when everyone else sat down. 'My lord, with your permission, before we commence the proceedings, I beg to advise the court of some new evidence which has come to light.'

'Sir Job, you know the position regarding new evidence,' said the judge. 'The prosecution is not at liberty to spring surprises on the court.'

'Then I must request an adjournment. I assure you that the matter is crucial to the proper administration of justice.'

The judge fingered his wig, thought for a long interval, and then announced testily. 'The court is adjourned for thirty minutes. Both counsel will attend in my retiring room.'

Diamond filed out with the others, sensing that there would be a longer delay than the estimated half-hour. Something sensational must have occurred.

The recall came after almost two hours.

'After hearing submissions from both counsel, I have decided to allow the prosecution to present its new evidence,' said the judge. 'We shall then adjourn until tomorrow to allow the defence to consider the implications.'

With the tact of a lawyer who knew he had stepped close to the limit, Sir Job pitched his voice on a low, unassertive note. 'Call Chief Inspector Wigfull.'

In the public gallery, Diamond's toes curled.

Wigfull stepped up and took the oath in a voice redolent with self-congratulation. To Diamond's prejudiced eye, the moustache seemed to have been brushed upwards, into an exultant curve.

'Chief Inspector, would you tell the court what you informed me this morning,' said Sir Job in little more than a whisper.

Wigfull had no reason to be humble. A stiffening of the shoulders, a tilt of the head, and he plunged into his story. 'Early this morning, I conducted a further search of the defendant's house in Bath. It has not been occupied since she was taken into custody. In the course of the search, one of my officers, Detective Inspector Halliwell, removed the drawers from the dressing table in the bedroom, the defendant's bedroom, and discovered something fixed with Sellotape to the underside of the section that housed the drawers. It was in a position where it would not have been visible by simply removing the drawers. Inspector Halliwell felt underneath and detected a transparent folder. He immediately drew it to my attention.' folder. He immediately 'Describe it, please.'

'The folder contained two antique letters with the signature "Jane". They were dated in the year 1800. From descriptions given to us previously by Professor Jackman, I believe them to be the letters written by Jane Austen that had allegedly been stolen from his house.' Sir Job addressed the judge. 'M'lord, the Crown submits these letters as Exhibit Six.' He handed a folder to one of the court officials, who passed it up.

After a cursory examination, the judge asked whether the defence wished to put any questions to Wigfull at this stage, and Mrs Bargainer said she reserved her cross-examination. The judge gave his customary warning to the jury not to discuss the case, and called the adjournment.

Diamond had watched Dana Didrikson while this scene was enacted. Her composure had shattered. A look of extreme shock had registered on her features. Her counsel approached her and an earnest exchange took place.

The corridor outside was abuzz with Wigfull's announcement. Every phone was occupied by the press. In the crush, Diamond managed to catch Jackman's eye. He was in animated conversation with a grey-suited, silver-haired man who had to be Siddons, the solicitor, but their words were lost in the turmoil. They both gestured to Diamond to join them. He had some difficulty. Someone — a reporter - recognized him and asked for a comment. He refused point-blank and forced a passage through the jostling, shouting crowd.

'What do you make of it?' Jackman demanded, and then answered his own question with, 'It's devastating. Couldn't be worse. I thought my showing yesterday was damaging enough, but this on top... a disaster.'

'It looks bad,' Diamond agreed.

'They wouldn't have fitted her up, would they?'

Siddons, shocked, said, 'Come now!'

Diamond said, 'No chance. John Wigfull isn't the sort. He plays the rules. And I can vouch for Keith Halliwell. No, they found the letters for sure.'

'Why didn't they find them before? They searched the place weeks ago.'

'Two possibilities,' said Diamond. 'Either someone overlooked them, or they weren't there at the time.'

"Weren't there?'

'Feel like a drive to Bath?'

On the dual carriageway near Keynsham, Jackman unburdened himself of some guilt. 'You know, I felt a bloody hypocrite when I was giving evidence yesterday. I had to make it appear as if all my dealings with Dana were altruistic ... that I acted out of sympathy for young Mat. I like the boy, it's true, and I enjoyed taking him swimming, but I looked forward to every meeting with Dana. You know. I've tried to explain.'

'Say so, then,' said Diamond, ever a man for frank speaking. 'You love her.'

'All right,' Jackman muttered. 'I do. I was hoping against all the odds that the jury wouldn't convict. Then I was going to ask her to come to America with me. And the boy. A clean break for all of us.' He sighed. 'No chance of that now.'

'You believe she did it?'

'I can't believe that, feeling as I do about her, but I can't see that she'll get off now.'

Diamond didn't comment.

They drove up to Lyncombe and the terraced block where Dana had lived. A uniformed constable was stationed by the front door. They could see him from the end of the street.

'Drive on. There's a way into the back garden from the street behind,' Diamond said, recalling the day Dana had escaped to her car when he and Wigfull had called at the house.

He picked his trilby off the back seat and covered his bandaged head. Without obvious subterfuge, but in silence, they entered the back garden and approached the back of the house. Diamond bent to examine the door-frame, and in particular the lock. It was an old-fashioned mortice that had probably been in use for forty years. By aligning his eye with the edge of the door, he spotted the shapes of finger-bolts at top and bottom. No one had forced an entry that way.

He examined the kitchen windows and found no signs, but when he came to the sash window to the sitting room and traced his finger along the lower edge, he located a distinct indentation in the painted surface of the ledge.

He invited Jackman to feel it.

'The window's fastened securely inside,'Jackman said. 'I wouldn't say it's been forced.'

'We'll find out presently.' Diamond returned down the garden path and got into the car. 'Would you drive us round to the front?'

This gave the impression that they were just arriving. The young constable at the door recognized him as he opened the gate. 'Mr Diamond?'

'We'd like to see inside, if you don't mind.'

'Sir, I'm under instructions from Mr Wigfull.'

'You'd better come in with us then, and see we don't steal the silver.'

Whether or not the news of Diamond's departure from the force had percolated to this level of the uniformed branch, the voice of authority prevailed. With the constable in tow, they went straight to the back sitting room and examined the window-fastening. The frame had a substantial brass fitting of the kind that rotated on a pin and slotted snugly into a catch to secure both sections of the window in the closed position.

'Nothing wrong with that,' Jackman observed.

Diamond turned to the constable. 'See if you can find me a screwdriver, lad.'

A few minutes later he unfastened the four screws that held the main fitting in place, and lifted it clear of the wood. Then he stood back. 'See what you make of that.'

If Diamond's tone of voice wasn't quite so self-admiring as Wigfull's had been in court, it was a near-run thing. It was undeniable that the wood below the fastening had recently been splintered. You could see where the screws had been forced. Tiny splinters of clean, white wood had been jammed into the holes to give the screws something to bite into when they were replaced.

'The intruder got in this way and tidied up afterwards,' he said. 'I spotted a chip of fresh wood on the floor between the boards. Years ago, in the days when real detectives worked out of Scotland Yard, we had a saying: 'Give your eyes a chance".'

Ideally, the dictum merited a moment's contemplation. It got none at all from Jackman. 'When was the break-in? Last night?'

'Could have been any time in the past two weeks. The letters were hidden upstairs ready to be discovered if and when they were needed.'

Diamond grinned from ear to ear. After so many months in the doghouse he was entitled to be satisfied. The discovery was detective work at its finest, worthy to secure his place in the pantheon with Fabian of the Yard and the other trilby-hatted heroes of yesteryear.